When I was pregnant and putting together our baby registry, I felt overwhelmed by all the advice out there. Everyone talked about the big things—cribs, car seats, diapers, and wipes—but I found that it was the smaller, practical items that made the biggest impact during those first few weeks. I didn’t want to keep track of thirty small items on my postpartum cart (read this to find out my favorite postpartum cart essentials). And I would have never guessed how often I’d be using nipple balm and muslin blankets! Whether you’re creating your registry or prepping postpartum, this list will help you feel more prepared with the postpartum items you’ll actually use. These are the baby registry must-haves for newborns that helped me navigate the early days with my son!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through one of my links. I only share products I truly love and personally use or recommend. You can read our full disclaimer policy here. Thank you for supporting my blog!
1. Two-Way Zipper Pajamas
Whoever invented the two-way zipper pajamas deserves a mom medal. These make middle-of-the-night diaper changes so much easier—no more wrestling with snaps or exposing baby’s entire body in the cold! You just unzip from the bottom, do your thing, and zip back up. They helped regulate baby’s temperature too during those early weeks. We preferred these soft two-way zippers pajamas made with organic cotton.
2. Red Light for Night Time Feeds
A soft red light lamp is a must during nighttime feedings. It gives you just enough light to see what you’re doing without disrupting your or baby’s circadian rhythms. It creates a calm environment that makes falling back asleep easier—for both of you! I kept mine taped to the top of our headboard and still use it nightly during pump and feed sessions. I feel this is such an underrated item that I don’t see on many registry lists!
3. Tiered Roller Cart
I set up a simple 3-tier metal roller cart stocked with everything I needed during a feed or while soothing Oliver: snacks, a water bottle, burp cloths, snacks, baby nail file, lip balm, did I say snacks? It’s incredibly helpful and mobile so you can bring it room to room. We still use this too! Read this post for a list of my favorite postpartum essentials!
4. Diaper Caddy
Even though we do all diaper changes on the changing table, I love our aesthetic diaper caddy. It keeps our changing table organized with diapers, wipes, and coconut oil (a cheaper and natural alternative to diaper cream). It’s also ready to go from room to room if you need. We use a second diaper caddy as Oliver’s laundry basket too (just take out the velcro middle divider).
5. Electric Nail File
Forget the baby nail clippers—this electric baby nail file is so much easier and way less scary to use, especially when their nails are teeny tiny. It’s quiet, quick, and gentle (and saved me from accidentally nicking baby fingers). After using an electric nail file, I can’t imagine using a regular clipper until Oliver is much older!
6. Muslin Swaddle Blankets
Muslin swaddle blankets are endlessly useful. Though we didn’t use these for swaddling, I used these organic muslin blankets to roll up as little bolsters to gently support under Oliver’s head during feedings (a nursing tip from a lactation consultant!). We also use them to clean up spit and spit up, as a burping cloth, a lightweight blanket, a cover for breastfeeding, to cover Oliver when he’s sleeping in the carrier out in public, and so many other things. They’re lightweight, breathable, and easy to wash.
7. Nursing Pillow
Whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle feeding, a nursing pillow helps support your arms and your baby (we have this Boppy nursing pillow). I still do almost every feed with my Boppy! The only time I don’t is when we’re in public and it is a hassle feeding Oliver without it. Not to mention it’s hard on my wrist since I have to hold up his head. Another plus is you can have guests use it also for more support while holding your baby.
8. Haakaa Ladybugs
I recommend the Haakaa Ladybugs because they are smaller and less bulky than the original Haakaa pump, so baby doesn’t knock it off your boob during a feed. They sit in your bra (or just suction on without a bra) and catch letdown milk on the opposite side while feeding. You can start building a freezer stash with almost no effort in those early postpartum days!
9. Nipple Cream and Silverettes
The breastfeeding learning curve is real, and having nipple cream and Silverettes on hand from day one made a huge difference. I alternated between the two, especially during those first two weeks when everything felt raw and new. I don’t need to use the Silverettes anymore, but I still use the nipple balm for every pump session. It’s much more comfortable than not having lubrication for the breast pump flange.
10. Coconut Oil
This one’s a little secret from our midwife! Before those first meconium poops (which are sticky, tar-like, and hard to wipe off), gently apply coconut oil to your baby’s bottom. It creates a barrier so cleanup is much easier. You’ll thank me later for this one! We still use coconut oil every now and then to moisturize and help prevent diaper rash. You also can use it in leu of nipple balm for pumping to make it more comfortable.
If You’re Pumping…
This list is focused on general newborn life, but if you’re planning to pump, I’ve got you covered! I go into depth on pumping essentials for your home setup in this blog post. I also share general pumping advice and sample breast pumping schedules for those exclusively pumping or combo feeding!
Wrap Up
These baby registry must-haves for newborns made such a difference in those first few blurry weeks. They helped simplify daily tasks, brought me comfort, and supported me as I transitioned into motherhood. Creating a baby registry can be SO overwhelming, but I hope this list brings you some clarity and confidence (and saves you some money, because you don’t need all the things, I promise). You’ve got this, mama!